Yawkey Way decision shows lack of creativity on part of Red Sox and John Henry

Jersey Street -- how is that better?

Judging from the on-air and online commentary, feelings are most definitely mixed on the Boston Public Improvement Commission's decision to rename Yawkey Way -- with far more negative sentiment than John Henry might have anticipated. I'm not going to pass judgment on Henry's reasoning for this move, because it's moot; Thursday's vote means the war is over, and Henry has won.

What baffles me is the lack of creative thinking on Henry's part. Faced with fans he had to know would view a name change as political correctness gone amok, the Red Sox owner missed the opportunity to push for the type of change that might win some skeptics over -- and generate additional positive buzz around the move.

The good old days ...?

By bringing back Jersey Street, Henry has effectively returned Fenway's home address to a time when stale cigar smoke wafted through the stands, the bullpen cart rolled across Joe Mooney's lawn, and drunken bleacherites yelled "Hey Uncle Ben!" at rookie outfielder Jim Rice.


Mail to Fenway arrived on Jersey Street when Jackie Robinson was told "don't call us, we'll call you" after his sham tryout in 1945, and it was where Boston manager (and sometimes GM) Mike "Pinky" Higgins reported for work when he vowed "They'll be no niggers on this club as long as I have anything to say about it." Under Yawkey's employ, he had his way longer than any other MLB boss.

Robinson did not leave Jersey Street smiling.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everything about Jersey Street is bad. I'm sure lots of nice people have worked and lived on it. But if you're trying to bring about change, why not go all the way?

Here are five alternate street names that would have made for an upbeat ending to this saga -- and still could, if it's not too late for John Henry to get on the horn to the commission.

Bobby Doerr Boulevard: It's hard to think of a more universally respected or beloved Red Sox figure than Doerr, a Hall of Fame second baseman and coach with the club who died last November at age 99. Naming a street for him this year would be a wonderful way of honoring the memory of No. 1.

As an elder statesman, Doerr remained regal.

Ted Williams Way:  Yup, I know this was tried before back in 1991. In fact, I was standing a few feet away on the Fenway grass, working as a young freelancer shortly after college, when Teddy Ballgame was handed the street sign that bore his name and would soon be affixed to what was previously known as Lansdowne Street. Things didn't go as planned; folks kept stealing the Ted Williams Way signs, and the name never took. There is probably a whole generation of kids under 25 who never knew this attempted change ever happened.

But this August marks the 100th anniversary of Williams' birth. What better time to try again to name a street for the greatest hitter in Red Sox history -- and a two-time war hero and champion of the Jimmy Fund to boot. In a 21st century, twitter-fed world, I bet it would stick this time.

It didn't take the first time, but maybe now....?

Jimmy Fund Drive: I admit being a bit bias on this one. I've worked for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since 1999, focused largely on the great work of its Jimmy Fund charity. I have seen up close many, many times the important role the Red Sox play in making the lives of cancer patients happier -- and how their efforts each summer in the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon generate millions in critical funds needed for research and clinical care. 

There is already a "Jimmy Fund Way" on Dana-Farber's main campus in the Longwood Medical Area, which Yaz and Mike Andrews dedicated in 1997 to honor the '67 Impossible Dream Red Sox. A Jimmy Fund Drive at Fenway would nobly honor the annual fundraising drives that the Sox make for New England's Favorite Charity.

A bridge for Papi - how about a street for Pedro?

Pedro Place: Other Red Sox greats have statues, why not give the best pitcher in team history his own street? The fact Pedro Martinez is also a man of color known for doing many great works on behalf of his Dominican countrymen and others makes him a worthy and fitting symbol of change in the post-Yawkey era. Besides, how cool would it be to say you were going to meet your buddies at El Tiante's on Pedro Place?

Red Sox Way:  This isn't very creative, but it is straight and to the point. It would help folks find Fenway when lost, and would symbolize what John Henry is trying to create here -- a new Red Sox way of going about business. 

If you're reading, Mr. Henry, my vote goes for Jimmy Fund Drive or Ted Williams Way -- just make sure those new street signs are bolted down tight.

The Red Sox won last night's Fenway marathon - Help me finish mine against cancer

Mile 25 - Before the magic. (Sam Ogden photo)

It took starter Chis Sale, finisher Sandy Leon, and the rest of the Red Sox 12 innings and nearly four hours to beat the Pirates last night at chilly Fenway Park. That's a long baseball game even by today's standards, but I'd love it as a finishing time in my first Boston Marathon -- which I'm running on April 17 as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC).

As the largest charity team in the race, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has more than 500 runners taking on the famous Hopkinton-to-Copley Square course. Each is responsible for at least $5,000 in fundraising, 100 percent of which goes to the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Cancer Research at Dana-Farber. Thanks to many of you, I'm already well past this threshold and am sprinting towards a new finishing-line goal of $10,000 -- part of my team's goal of $5 million.

I'll run longer than Leon, but hopefully as happily. (Boston Globe)  

Running Boston serves as more than just the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, one derailed for decades by ulcerative colitis and revived as a 50th birthday gift to myself. Just as new ace Sale has a mission to pitch the Red Sox back to the postseason, Dana-Farber is committed to curing as many patients as possible -- and helping others live with cancer as a chronic disease rather than a deadly one. In the 18 years I've worked at Dana-Farber, cure rates have improved tremendously for many cancers, but there is still a long way to go.

Who will I be thinking of during my run?

This list is long -- from family gone too soon like Agi Alpert and Michael Carlin to friends who fought with courage, strength, and a will to live as long as they could. Many others are longtime cancer survivors, or those currently in treatment with more challenges ahead. Their hopes and dreams will also be on my mind through the miles, and their names will be on my bib.

Since 1999 I've met and written about dozens of individuals who joined the Dana-Farber team to honor their own loved ones. Many times I've waited at Mile 25 and cheered as the pediatric patient partners high-five and hug their DFMC runners as they reach the edge of Kenmore Square -- just a few hundred yards from Fenway Park and 1.2 miles from the finish. It's an incredibly powerful experience.

Mile 25 Magic -- in progress. (Dana-Farber)

Now I'll be on the other side, pounding the pavement and looking straight ahead to the CITGO sign as friends and colleagues cheer me on. Hearing the yells of "GO DANA-FARBER!" when people spot my distinctive singlet will undoubtedly help propel me throughout the race, but I'll be most counting on it in the hills of Newton. Please "CALL FOR SAUL!" as loud a you can.

There is one other way you can help me reach the finish line. If you have not already, please consider making a gift of any size to support my run, so that when I pass Fenway on Patriot's Day I will do so knowing I've made my goal. Remember, 100 percent of all donations go directly to the Barr Program so that Dana-Farber researchers can uncover new cancer cures. Please help as much as you can.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, and your support -- now and on race day.

Saul

Getting closer... and hopefully warmer.

John Farrell reveals secret to Red Sox surge: Bill Belichick

"Warm up Koji in the seventh."

A month ago columnists, talk-show hosts and fans were calling for his head. Now John Farrell looks like a genius and the Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball -- winning the close games they couldn't earlier in the year due (said the naysayers) to his weak in-game managing.

Asked after last night's eighth straight win to explain the turnaround, Farrell dropped a bombshell:  Bill Belichick has been making Boston's strategic moves before, after, and even during games. Phone calls in dugouts, clubhouses, and hotel rooms have kept the two in touch and moved the Red Sox to the verge of the postseason.

It was the Patriots coach, Farrell says, who made the decision to immediately put Koji Uehara into the eighth-inning role -- where he has thrived -- after he came off the disabled list.

Shaw got mad -- and hot -- thanks to Belichick.

To start over-his-head rookie Yoan Mancada over Travis Shaw at third base for a few games, lighting a fire under Shaw -- and a resurgence at the plate.

To stay behind slumping Clay Buchholz, trying him in various spots and keeping his confidence up, so he'd be ready to move back into the starting rotation when needed .

To rest David Ortiz just the right amount so that his feet would hold up and he'd put up the best farewell numbers in MLB history.

A rested Ortiz continues to rake.

To convince Hanley Ramirez to cut down on his home-run swing -- thus leading to more home runs and fewer helmet-flying strikeouts.

To move Dustin Pedroia into the lead-off spot, against the second baseman's wishes, sparking a Laser Show batting spree reminiscent of 2008.

"It's particularly tough when we have games at the same time, like last night, but Bill is such a mastermind that he can make out our lineup at the same time he's going over plays with a rookie quarterback making his first start," says Farrell. "I mean, the guy is a genius."

I wish Bill would call.

Farrell says he decided to come clean about the arrangement because he wanted the world to know just how brilliant a tactician Belichick is -- even if it costs him his job.

"I've been around baseball for 40 years," he says, "but Bill is in a league all by himself."

Make that two leagues.

Friday Fun from Fenway Reflections

Yaz is 75, and I hope he's happy

(Associated Press/Steve Senne)

Carl Yastrzemski had a birthday the other day, and a big one at that. The Man They Called Yaz is 75 years old, and as he hits the milestone it appears from an outsider's view that this most private of legends -- who has endured some rough times in recent years -- has plenty to feel good about. 

The young man who shares his famous last name, grandson Mike Yastrzemski, is a rising star in the Baltimore Orioles farm system. Mike has been an extra-base-hit machine at three minor league stops this year, and could even get a September call-up to the majors. Since Carl was a significant influence in Mike's upbringing, especially after the sudden death of his father (Carl's son Michael) in 2004, the 24-year-old outfielder's success is a major source of joy and pride for his grandfather.

Two of Yaz's titanic career statistics have been passed in recent months, his 3,419 hits (now ninth all-time, just eclipsed by Derek Jeter) and his 452 home runs (now 37th, topped by Adam Dunn and David Ortiz). Any player who worked as hard as Yastrzemski to reach those numbers could be justified in feeling a bit sad seeing them drop a notch or two on the record lists, but their mention alongside Jeter, Ortiz, and Dunn's deeds has given fans an opportunity to reflect on (or learn about) what a terrific ballplayer Yaz was during his time in Boston.      

Papi's pal -- and backer. (NESN)

Yastrzemski, in fact, took the opportunity of Ortiz's 453rd home run to offer some gratuitous and classy comments about the new No. 2 man (behind Ted Williams) on Boston's all-time homer list. Ortiz's milestone shot had sparked some debate in newspapers and on sports radio talk shows about whether Big Papi or Yaz should be considered the second-best hitter (after Williams) in Red Sox history. 

Fans were split, with the old-timers mostly going for Yastrzemski -- pointing out that he had to focus on playing the field as well as swinging a bat for the majority of his career. The younger folks took the Ortiz side, noting his three World Series rings (to Yaz's zero) and much higher slugging and on-base percentages.

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe figured he'd ask Yaz his thoughts on the subject, and their exchange (included in this Shaughnessy column) surprised a public not used to Silent Carl voicing his opinions on such matters -- or much of anything else.

"I would say as a hitter, I would say he's [Ortiz] next to Ted," Yastrzemski told Shaughnessy. "I would put him ahead of me. He had more power than I had." Asked what he would think if he turned on the radio and heard the Papi-Yaz debate raging, the Hall of Famer replied, "I'd be glad that they would have me in the same class as him."   

The Big Three

These comments, so un-Yaz like, blew me away. For a guy who grew up watching Yastrzemski play balls off the Monster from the Fenway bleachers and imitating his bat-twirling, pants-tugging stance in Little League games, there was never any doubt to me that he was No. 2 to Ted -- and I've got plenty of respect for what Ortiz has accomplished. Both are Hall of Famers in my book.

But in addition to being genuinely shocked when I read Shaughnessy's column, it also made me smile. If Yastrzemski is comfortable sharing these thoughts, I surmised, he must be feeling pretty good about himself and his own place in team history. Shaughnessy didn't ask if Yaz thought Ortiz was a better all-around player than him -- that would be no contest, given Yastrzemski's seven Gold Gloves -- but as a hitter, deep down, Captain Carl knew Ortiz had the superior numbers.

In addition to sharing a name, Carl Michael Yastrzemski, and Mike Yastrzemski nearly share a birthday. Mike marked his 24th on August 23 with a hit against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, one day after notching two hits on Carl's big day of August 22 (plus a home run the night before).

Here's hoping that the two got a chance to celebrate their mutual milestones in person or with a phone call. For the joy he gave all of us who were lucky enough to see him play, Yaz deserves the opportunity to savor this time in his life -- and the young man who is bringing him joy.   

Yaz and Yaz (Boston Herald)

Reds-Red Sox Redux: The real story behind Carlton Fisk's Iconic Home Run Image

Just like he dreamed in back in Charlestown, NH

In honor of the Red Sox-Reds matchup at Fenway Park, I thought it would be fun to revisit the most iconic moment in the history of this rivalry -- Carlton Fisk's home run to win Game Six of the 1975 Boston-Cincinnati World Series. 

How was an NBC cameraman situated inside Fenway's Green Monster Wall astute enough to capture Fisk's dramatic reaction as he watched his fly ball to left hit the foul pole in the 12th inning? Read this excerpt from my 2011 book, Fenway Park: The Centennial to find out:


The score was still 6-6 in the bottom of the 12th, the clock inching past 12:30 a.m., when Fisk led off for Boston. Standing beside Fred Lynn in the on-deck circle as Reds reliever Pat Darcy took his warm-up tosses, the self-assured catcher told his teammate, "I'll get on, and you drive me in."

Some fans were still settling into their seats after grabbing post-midnight snacks as Fisk took Darcy's first pitch high for a ball. He then hit the next one on a rising trajectory down the left-field line, toward the foul pole that rose above the Green Monster. "It was a question of it being fair or foul," Fisk told reporters after the game. "The wind must have carried it 15 feet toward the foul pole. I just stood there and watched. I didn't want to miss seeing it go out."

Here's the swing...

Actually, Fisk did more than just watch. In an effort to circumvent the wind, he stepped out of the batter's box and began leaping, waving his hands in an effort to wish the ball into play. And while he, Lynn, and everybody else at Fenway was tracking the flight of the ball, the 36 million fans viewing the Series on NBC were treated to the raw emotion of Fisk leaping and pleading. The footage, shot by veteran cameraman Lou Gerard, gave birth to what became known in TV sports as the "reaction shot," and it's one of the most replayed images in sports history.

All thanks to a rat.

The inside of the Green Monster was never the Taj Mahal, but by the mid-'70s it had become downright nasty -- a dark, dirty, graffiti-covered pit in which a few rats sought solace from Joe Mooney's groundscrew. It was here where Gerard had set up his camera for Game 6, and his instructions from director Harry Coyle were to follow the path of the ball if it was hit toward him -- or if not, then to stay zeroed in on Fisk. 

"C'mon, C'mon....stay fair!"

Gerard was set to carry out the assignment until he spotted one of the Wall's furry freeloaders perched atop his camera. Shocked, he momentarily froze rather than swivel his camera to track the ball, and his lens stayed hooked on Fisk. It was up to Dick Stockton, calling the game for NBC viewers, to describe for them where the ball was headed:

"There it goes! A long drive! If it says fair... Home run! We will have a seventh game in this 1975 World Series!"

In the end, Fisk's shot bounced off the foul pole and fell harmlessly back down to left fielder George Foster as Fisk rounded the bases. Perhaps due to the crowd's sheer enthusiasm, just a few overzealous fans outflanked a mild security presence to vault onto the field and slap Fisk high-fives as he rounded third and headed home to end what was then the longest game (four hours, one minute) in World Series history.

Call off the seventh game!

Throughout New England, car horns honked, church bells rang, and kids with transistor radios under their pillows jumped on their beds. Fenway Park organist John Kiley broke into a succession of festive numbers such as the "Beer Barrel Polka" -- this was long before rock music was piped into the park -- and fans sang along.

Banging away at his portable typewriter above home plate, Ray Fitzgerald of the Boston Globe suggested in print that a seventh game was not necessary. How could anything top this? How could either of these teams lose? But the combatants were back at Fenway later the same day to settle matters.

As church bells rang...

Sox in Six: Why Red Sox Fans Should Ignore David Ortiz Steroid Rumors

Innocent until proven guilty.

"It's like when you're winning really big at Monopoly, and people think you're stealing from the bank."

This was my 8-year-old daughter's response when I asked her for an example of when someone doing well might be unfairly accused of cheating. I posed the question after reading Dan Shaughnessy's column in Wednesday's Boston Globe, in which he detailed his locker room steroids chat with David Ortiz the previous afternoon. 

Since Ortiz emerged from seven months on the shelf nursing a bad heel to hit .426 in his first 14 games back in the Red Sox lineup, Shaughnessy posed, it was only natural that people suspect steroids were fueling the comeback. Ortiz denied any doping, and while I give Shaughnessy credit for questioning the slugger to his face, I felt the exchange deserved a paragraph low in Tuesday's game notes rather than a bold, top-of-the-fold headline.

Why should Red Sox fans ignore the steroids talk surrounding Ortiz's big start? That's the subject of today's Sox in Six.


He's following the rules -- and passing the tests

Unlike his old buddy, Ortiz passes each test.

As Ortiz explained to Shaughnessy Tuesday, he's subject to the same random testing as all big leaguers:

"They test me all the time," Ortiz said. "They make you pee and the test your blood, too. This year I would say I've probably been tested five times, peeing. Blood, just once. That was in spring training. They don't warn you. They just show up."

This information is probably easy enough to verify. It has been speculated that conspiring ballplayers, trainers, and chemists are constantly exploring ways to beat the system, but the fact remains that Ortiz has been repeatedly tested, and found to be clean.

Being on the 2003 list doesn't make him guilty

Young Papi was careless.

After Ortiz initially avoided the steroid scandal that tarnished the reputation of other superstars including Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Sammy Sosa, he faced his first doping accusations in May 2009 when it was revealed his name was on the sealed list of roughly 100 MLB players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. 

The list was leaked by anonymous lawyers with knowledge of the results, who did not reveal which drugs had been detected in Ortiz's case. Within days of the news breaking Ortiz gave a heartfelt press conference in which he denied PED use but said he "definitely was a little bit careless back in those days when I was buying legal supplements and legal vitamins over the counter."

At the time Ortiz's name surfaced on the list, the New York Daily News reported that Ortiz could have been "one of eight players who were believed to have tested positive for a spiked dietary supplement in 2003, rather than for hard-core injectable steroids. The supplement 19-norandrostenedione was legal in 2003 and contained the steroid nandrolone, a hard-core performance-enhancing drug used to build muscle."

In other words, there is a good chance Ortiz did nothing wrong in '03, the year he joined the Red  Sox and had his first breakout season with 31 home runs.

His stats don't match a "typical" steroid user

Ortiz hits with more consistency today.

Ortiz has been a 30-homer, 100-RBI guy for a decade, with only two years in which his totals went up considerably (2005-06, when he had 47 and 54 homers). Most accused steroid users like A-Rod have seen their offensive output plummet in recent years with the introduction of random testing, but Papi has actually enjoyed a resurgence the past two seasons.

This was a big part of Shaughnessy's premise -- that "athletes do not get better as they mature into their late 30s." But if you look closely at Ortiz's numbers, they are not the result of his suddenly becoming stronger -- but rather his getting smarter.

Ortiz has improved as an all-around hitter 

Lefty or righty, pitchers feel Papi's power.

For most of his career, Ortiz had a tough time against left-handed pitchers. In 2004, for instance, he had 31 home runs and a .326 average against righties but only 10 homers and a .250 mark against lefties. By 2010 the disparity was worse than ever: 30 homers and a .297 average vs. righties, just TWO homers and .222 vs. lefties. 

Another hole in his game was Ortiz's inability to consistently hit the ball to left field. Like they had once done against Ted Williams, opposing teams exploited this by employing a "Papi Shift" in which the shortstop moved to the right of second base during Ortiz's at-bats and other infielders and outfielders also drifted in that direction. 

For years Ortiz struggled against the shift, but now he is rendering it useless. For the past one-and-a-half seasons, he has batted nearly .320 against lefties and is hitting the ball to left far more consistently. His pure power may not be at 54-homer strength anymore, but he's finding the holes and harming more pitchers.

He's lost weight, not gained bulk

A healthy choice for his career.

Compare a 1990 Barry Bonds baseball card with a 2002 Bonds card, and you have the poster boy for steroids. Whereas the young Bonds was trim and taut, the older version was bulky to a cartoonish degree.

Now take a look at Ortiz. In the past season, he's actually shed considerable pounds off his husky frame, which has helped him keep his bat speed quick and is not consistent with PED use. Unlike past big-boned Sox sluggers like George Scott and Mo Vaughn who fizzled quickly in their mid-30s, Ortiz realizes that stepping away from the table may be his ticket to a longer career and maybe even the Hall of Fame.

He's earned a large degree of trust

Like Brady, Ortiz commands respect.

During the past 10 years, only Tom Brady has achieved the cult status of Ortiz among Boston athletes. Big Papi has been a tower of strength on the field, a leader in the clubhouse, and a champion of the Jimmy Fund and numerous other charities. Like Brady, he's been his best in the clutch and a driving force on championship teams.

Red Sox Nation may never truly know if Papi ever cheated, or, if he did, whether he did so knowingly. In the meantime, it is no more fair to suspect him of juicing when he is hitting .426 than it is to claim he has come clean if he goes 1-for-14 -- as he has since his talk with Shaughnessy.

What is clear is this: if the Red Sox hope to have any chance of making the playoffs, they need a healthy and happy Ortiz in the middle of their batting order.